A proposed ban on self check-outs in Californian retailers claims to be about preventing theft. But will it end up kiboshing alcohol sales? Sarah Neish investigates. California is one of a handful of US states that allows consumers to buy the holy trinity of wine, beer and spirits from grocery stores and supermarkets, which is not always the case elsewhere in the US. Some states allow supermarkets to sell beer only, meaning consumers need to make a separate visit to a licensed liquor store should they wish to buy wine and spirits. Now a proposed ban on self check-outs in California is on the cards, with Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas of Los Angeles pushing for a bill, ostensibly to combat theft in stores. There is, however, increasing scepticism surrounding the motive behind the bill, with many claiming the law is actually designed to protect the jobs of union grocery workers in the face of growing artificial intelligence (AI). The fact that the senator who proposed the bill spent decades organising labour unions would appear to lend weight to the argument, as does a provision written into the bill that any retailer who wants to “implement technology that significantly affects the essential job function or eliminates jobs or essential job functions of its employees” must first complete a detailed assessment before implementing the technology. Polarising effect The bill has polarised Californians since it was first proposed in February 2024, with labour unions largely in support of the legislation and retail groups tending
This Article was originally published on The Drink Business - Wine
